Floor polishing and wax dispensing machine



y 1964 A. A. FORSBERG 3,139,640

FLOOR POLISHING AND WAX DISPENSING MACHINE Original Filed April 19, 1950 INVENTOR.

United States Patent M Claims priority, application Sweden July 1, 1949 2 Claims. (Cl. 1550) This invention relates to devices for supplying Wax or other preparations to floors, more particularly to devices especially applicable to and adapted as attachments for polishing machines in which rotary brushes or other rotating polishing members are employed. The invention has special reference to such devices that act to supply wax or other fluid preparation to a floor for spreading and polishing by the rotating polishers of the machine. This application is a continuation of my application Serial No. 552,652, filed December 12, 1955, now abandoned, which is a continuation of application Serial No. 156,745, filed April 19, 1950, now abandoned.

It has been proposed heretofore to utilize Wax-containing or other fluid-holding devices in combination with polishing machines to deposit wax or other preparation on a floor for spreading and application by the machine. An objection to these devices, however, is the tendency of the rotating brushes or polishers to splash or scatter the wax deposited on the floor so that furniture or Walls often will become soiled. Another objection is the in ability of the devices to regulate the amount of wax or other preparation deposited on the floor so that uniform application will be obtained.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a wax applicator or depositor which may be attached to and supported by a floor polisher, and will regulate the amount of wax deposited on a floor. It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this kind that will deposit the wax on the floor in such a manner that splashing and scattering will not occur.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a polisher of the three-disk type to which the improved wax-applying or floor-treating device is applied:

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the fluid applicator and the polisher, the three disks of the latter and the driving belt therefor being shown in dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is a top plan View of the tank or container for the wax or other floor-treating preparation;

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the tank and valve means therefor and parts of the polisher, taken on a plane parallel with FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

In the drawing is illustrated a floor polishing machine of a known type, which includes a housing 9 having an upstanding part It) of reduced cross-sectional area for the electric driving motor, and a handle 11, the lower end of which terminates in a fork 12 having spaced apart arms pivotally connected to the motor housing part 10. Brushes 16, to which polishing disks of felt or other suitable material, not shown, are often attached, are detach- 3,139,640 Patented July 7, 1964 ably connected to each of three disks 13, 14 and 15, respectively, which rotate around vertical shafts parallel to each other. The disks and brushes carried thereby, together with their driving means and the bearings for the shafts of the disks, are contained within a part 17 of housing 9 which is of substantially triangular shape, the downwardly extending side wall or skirt of which is covered and protected by a ring 18 of rubber or other suitable resilient material.

A device 19 for applying wax or other floor-treating preparation is attached to the rear of the housing part 17, and includes a tank or container 20 in the form of an elongated receptacle formed of upper and lower sections or halves 21 and 22, respectively, joined together by soldering, for example. The tank or container 20 is detachably held at the rear edge of the housing part 17 by two pivoted supporting rods 23, preferably of spring wire, and two hooks 24 forming portions of props fixed to the lower section 22 of the tank 20.

One end of each of the rods 23 is bent downwardly, and the downwardly bent ends are pivotally received in bosses 25 to connect the rods 23 to the tank 20. This pivotal attachment of the rods 23 to the tank 20 enables the rods 23 to be folded from the position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 to the position shown in FIG. 3 over the top of the tank 20 and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof. The outer free ends 26 of the rods 23 are looped and angularly bent to fit into openings in bolts 28 which pivotally attach the spaced apart arms of fork 12 to the motor housing part 10. Looped or hookshaped portions 29 of the rods 23 yield sufiiciently to enable the ends 26 to be snapped into the holes in the bolts 28, and serve as finger pieces to enable the hook-shaped rods 23 to be disconnected easily from the polishing machine when it is desired to detach the fluid-supplying device 19. The hooks 24 at the bottom end of the tank 20 engage the lower portion of the protective rubber ring 18, as clearly seen in FIG. 4, and, together with a foot 30'provided on the bottom of the lower section 22 of the tank 20, constitute three legs on which the tank 20 can be supported on a flat surface when the tank is detached from the polishing machine.

The upper section or half 21 of the tank 20 is provided with a filling opening 31 normally closed by a threaded cap 32. As disclosed in detail in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tank 20 is provided with a valve member 33 in the form of a needle which is axially movable through a guide or bushing 34. The region about the opening 35 in the bottom section 22 of the tank 20 serves as a valve seat. The valve member 33 is provided with a pointed or conical lower end 36 which cooperates with the opening 35 to control the discharge of wax or other treating preparation from the tank 20. In order to guide the valve member 33, the valve opening 35 is enveloped by a number of guides 37 which form a guide passage extending to the outlet opening 35. An air vent, which is provided at the top of the tank 20, includes a washer 38 disposed about the upper end of the valve member 33, the valve guide 34 and a notch 39 provided in the valve member 33.

In order to raise the valve member 33 from its closed to its open position, a pull chain 40 is employed, one end of which is connected to ring 41 attached to the upper end of the valve member 33 and the other end of which is detachably connected to the handle 11. A coil spring 43 surrounds the valve member 33 within the tank 20, one end of which bears against a washer or disk 42 fixed to the valve member 33 and the opposite end of which bears against the lower end of the valve guide 34. As will be evident, the spring 43 normally holds the valve 33 in its seated or closed position. A pull on the chain 40 raises the valve member 33 against the tension of the spring 43, thus opening the valve. When the valve member 33 is raised to its open position, the notch 39 is raised to provide a communicating passage between the atmosphere and the interior of the tank, and the wax or other floor-treating material in the tank will then slowly flow through the discharge opening 35.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the nearest point of the disk 14 to the discharge opening 35 is a region in the path of rotation of the disk at which the latter moves clockwise in the direction of the arrow towards the adjacent disk 15. At such point at the periphery of disk 14 which is nearest to the discharge opening 35, an imaginary line drawn tangent to disk 14 will intersect disk 15. Because of the position of the discharge opening 35 in relation to the disks, when the polishing machine is moved rearwardly over the treating fluid supplied to the floor, the wax or treating fluid flowing out of the discharge opening will be contacted by those parts of the brushes reaching the points in their paths of rotation where the centrifugal force will be such that the wax will tend to be directed from one brush toward the other brushes. This inwardly directed movement imparted to the wax or other treating fluid serves to prevent splashing or scattering of the fluid on furniture, walls or other parts of the room.

As is shown in the drawing, the discharge opening 35 is located between a first vertical hypothetical plane which passes through the vertical center of disk 14 and is parallel to the handle 11, and a second vertical plane which is parallel to the first plane and tangential to the part of the brush connected to the disk 15 that faces the center of the polisher. In this way, the parts of the brushes on disks 13 and 14 located between these planes tend to throw particles of the wax or treating material toward the central part of the machine and into contact with one of the other brushes. This prevents lateral discharge of th wax or other preparation from the machine and avoids splashing or scattering.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be understood that the rods 23, which includes intermediate portions and bent end portions, constitute elongated elements which are pivotally mounted on the vessel 20 for movement about spaced vertical axes, the outer free ends of which may serve as handles for holding the device 19. The recesses formed in the bolts 28, which pivotally connect the forked arms at the lower end of handle 11, receive and hold. the outer free ends 26 of the rods 23 which form the top arm of a C-shaped member or clamp, so that the vessel 20 is supported in its entirety on the housing 9 of the floor polishing or treating machine. The projections 24 on the vessel 2% constitute props which form the bottom arm of the C-shaped member or clamp for holding the vessel against th rubber ring 18 which essentially forms a downwardly extending skirt or side wall of the housing part 17, at the underside of which are disposed the rotatable members 13, 14 and 15.

The motor housing part 10 forms an upstanding part on the housing 9 which is of reduced cross-sectional area. The lower end of the handle 11 is pivotally mounted for movement about a horizontal axis at the bottom portion of the upstanding housing part 10. In FIG. 1 it will be seen that the entire vessel 20 is located completely below the horizontal plane passing through the axis about which the handle 11 is movable. Hence, at least a major portion of the vessel 20 lies below the aforementioned horizontal plane and close to the surface being treated. Further, the vessel 20 is completely to the rear of the housing part 17 and at the immediate vicinity of the downwardly extending side wall thereof.

Therefore, the discharge opening 35 will be located above the surface at a region which is rearward of first and second members 14 and 15 which are rotated in the same direction, the opening 35 being positioned in a vertical plane which is parallel to the vertical plane in which the handle 11 is vertically movable and intersects the rear peripheral edge of member 14 at a point at which it is moving toward a line connecting the axes of the members 14 and 15. The aforementioned vertical plane in which the outlet 35 is located is disposed between the vertical plane in which the handle is vertically movable and the parallel vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation of the member 14.

Accordingly, when the machine is being operated and moved rearwardly or toward the right in FIG. 1, in a direction which is essentially parallel to the direction in which the handle 11 extends and toward treating agent discharged on the surface through the opening 35, the treating agent will be contacted by a region of the rotating member 14 at such a point in its path of rotation that centrifugal force produced by such rotating member will be effective to cause the treating agent to be thrown from such region toward the member 15. In this way, treating agent will not be scattered away from the machine and is thrown toward the rotating members 13 and 15, the member 13 being driven in the opposite direction from the member 14 initially contacting the treating agent.

Although a single embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as pointed out in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a floor polishing or treating machine of the class described having first, second and third members which are mounted for rotation about vertical axes and movable over a surface to be treated, means for rotating said members including provisions for rotating said first and second members in the same direction, a handle, means for pivotally mounting the lower end of said handle on said machine for movement about a horizontal axis, said handle extending obliquely upward from and rearward of said machine at an angle to the vertical during normal forward and rearward movement of said machine on the surface, the axis of rotation of each of said members being located at the apex of a triangle with the axis of rotation of said third member being disposed at the forward part of said machine and the axes of rotation of said first and second members being disposed at the rear of said machine in the same vertical plane perpendicular to the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable, the first and second members being disposed at opposite sides of the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable, the combination of a device for holding a body of treating fluid and applying such fluid to the surface, said device having an opening for discharging fluid therefrom, and means for supporting said device on said machine to locate the discharge opening above the surface at a region which is rearward of said first and second members in a positioning vertical plane which is parallel to the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable and intersects the rear peripheral edge of one of said first and second members at a point at which it is moving toward a line connected the axes of said first and second members, said positioning vertical plane in which said outlet is located being disposed between the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable and the parallel vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation of said one of said first and second members.

2. In a floor polishing or treating machine of the class described having first, second and third members of cylindrical form which are mounted for rotation about vertical axes and movable over a surface to be treated, means for rotating said first and second members in one direction and for rotating said third member in the opposite direction, a handle, means for pivotally mounting the lower end of said handle on said machine for movement about a horizontal axis, said handle extending obliquely upward from and rearward of said machine at an angle to the vertical during normal forward and rearward movement of said machine on the surface, the axis of rotation of each of said members being located at the apex of a triangle with the axis of rotation of said third member being disposed at the forward part of said machine and in the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable and the axes of rotation of said first and second members being disposed at the rear of said machine in the same vertical plane perpendicular to the vertical plane in. which said handle is vertically movable, the first and second members having a gap therebetween and being disposed at opposite sides of the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable, diametrically opposite regions of the periphery of said third member being disposed in vertical planes which are parallel to the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable and intersecting parts of said first and second members and the region of the periphery of said third member at its rear being disposed in a vertical plane which is perpendicular to the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable and intersects parts of said first and second members, the combination of a device for holding a body of treating fluid and applying such fluid to the surface, said device having an opening for discharging fluid therefrom, and means for supporting said device on said machine to locate the discharge opening above the surface at a region which is rearward of said first and second members in a positioning vertical plane which is parallel to the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable and intersects the rear peripheral edge of one of said first and second members at a point at which it is moving toward a line connecting the axes of said first and second members, said positioning vertical plane in which said outlet is located being disposed between the vertical plane in which said handle is vertically movable and the parallel vertical plane passing through the axis of rotation of said one of said first and second members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,493,309 Wilson May 6, 1924 1,860,168 Bedard May 24, 1932 1,901,497 Engberg et a1. ...a Mar. 14, 1933 2,475,189 Scala et al July 5, 1949 

1. IN A FLOOR POLISHING OR TREATING MACHINE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED HAVING FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD MEMBERS WHICH ARE MOUNTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT VERTICAL AXES AND MOVABLE OVER A SURFACE TO BE TREATED, MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID MEMBERS INCLUDING PROVISIONS FOR ROTATING SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS IN THE SAME DIRECTION, A HANDLE, MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING THE LOWER END OF SAID HANDLE ON SAID MACHINE FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS, SAID HANDLE EXTENDING OBLIQUELY UPWARD FROM AND REARWARD OF SAID MACHINE AT AN ANGLE TO THE VERTICAL DURING NORMAL FORWARD AND REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID MACHINE ON THE SURFACE, THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF EACH OF SAID MEMBERS BEING LOCATED AT THE APEX OF A TRIANGLE WITH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID THIRD MEMBER BEING DISPOSED AT THE FORWARD PART OF SAID MACHINE AND THE AXES OF ROTATION OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED AT THE REAR OF SAID MACHINE IN THE SAME VERTICAL PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO THE VERTICAL PLANE IN WHICH SAID HANDLE IS VERTICALLY MOVABLE, THE FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED AT OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE VERTICAL PLANE IN WHICH SAID HANDLE IS VERTICALLY MOVABLE, THE COMBINATION OF A DEVICE FOR HOLDING A BODY OF TREATING FLUID AND APPLYING SUCH FLUID TO THE SURFACE, SAID DEVICE HAVING AN OPENING FOR DISCHARGING FLUID THEREFROM, AND MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID DEVICE ON SAID MACHINE TO LOCATE THE DISCHARGE OPENING ABOVE THE SURFACE AT A REGION WHICH IS REARWARD OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS IN A POSITIONING VERTICAL PLANE WHICH IS PARALLEL TO THE VERTICAL PLANE IN WHICH SAID HANDLE IS VERTICALLY MOVABLE AND INTERSECTS THE REAR PERIPHERAL EDGE OF ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS AT A POINT AT WHICH IT IS MOVING TOWARD A LINE CONNECTED THE AXES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS, SAID POSITIONING VERTICAL PLANE IN WHICH SAID OUTLET IS LOCATED BEING DISPOSED BETWEEN THE VERTICAL PLANE IN WHICH SAID HANDLE IS VERTICALLY MOVABLE AND THE PARALLEL VERTICAL PLANE PASSING THROUGH THE AXIS OF ROTATION OF SAID ONE OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEMBERS. 